GOVT PROPOSES DEBT SWAP

Public Service Commissions are proposing a debt swap policy as a practical measure to lift civil servants out of their indebtedness to financial lending institutions.Public Service Management Division Permanent Secretary Boniface Chimbwali says the debt swap mechanism will enable government take over the debts civil servants owe their lenders.Mr. Chimbwali explains that in instances where government owes civil servants in settling allowances, leave days benefits and other emoluments, the backlog may be offset through the debt swap policy.He explains that thorough consultations will be done before arriving at the actual implementation of the mechanism that will provide relief to thousands of civil servants.Mr. Chimbwali said government is fully aware that staff debts and financial problems have been a source of frustration among workers in the civil service.And Teaching Service Commission Chairperson Stanely Mhango, who has bemoaned the high debt levels among government workers says the situation is affecting performance productivity.Mr. Mhango, however, says it is unfair for some civil servants to habitually blame government for the debts they themselves have contracted.He regretted government’s lapse on conducting vigorous financial literacy for civil servants when it effected unprecedented salary increases of up to 150 percent in 2014.Mr. Mhango called on government workers to think seriously about investing in projects that will financially sustain them.And Local Government Permanent Secretary Bishop Ed Chomba called on local authority workers to be motivated with the good conditions of service that government has put in place.Bishop Chomba cited the introduction of the funeral and health insurance policies as some of the conditions of service. Post Views: 3
News Source: ZNBC